This is the last chance to see Francis Bacon’s work in Australia. One of the most important figurative painters of the 20th century, Bacon’s painting is gutsy, exciting and visually compelling. The exhibition includes some 50 paintings spanning the artist’s career and includes some of his best known triptychs. The works have been drawn from 37 private and public collections around the world including Tate Britain, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Art in New York. Also on show is a wealth of archival material from his chaotic studio, offering a fascinating insight into the artist and his creative process.

Barbara Dawson is in Sydney for the Gallery’s Francis Bacon exhibition. Barbara negotiated the transfer of Bacon’s studio from London to Dublin with John Edwards who was Bacon’s sole beneficiary. She will talk about Bacon’s studio as part of the Art After Hours program and discuss the role of food in the artist’s life and work at the Francis Bacon symposium. Over 40 cookbooks were found in Francis Bacon’s studio! A renowned gourmand, Bacon enjoyed eating and drinking and was a regular presence in London’s best restaurants as well as in the drinking dens of Soho. He lived through two world wars and witnessed severe food shortages in London during World War II.